From where I stand…

Tag Archives: isolate

“If only these treasures were not so fragile as they are precious and beautiful.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I got out for a quick walk at lunch today and came across these delicate blossoms. I’m not sure of the exact species, but it looks like some form of wild cherry, perhaps Pin Cherry. The light was just right to use my portable background to isolate the blossoms from the background, giving the whole thing the look of a Japanese painting.

One thing that poses a real challenge in outdoor photography, using this method, is movement caused by wind, even a light breeze, so there is an element of careful timing and a slightly higher ISO to compensate for the faster shutter speed.

It’s a very simple composition and I’m often left a bit dumbstruck at how wonderful simple can be.

During one of my hikes this fall, I was covered with a glowing canopy of golden beech leaves, brightly lit by the sun. All the light around me was this beautiful, warm yellow/orange and the entire forest just glowed.

Amid all this warmth, it was difficult to isolate a single image that showed the source of this wonderful light. This image is probably the best representation of what I saw. Multiply this image by thousands and that would give a good idea of just how glorious the light was. The leaves literally looked like they were made of gold. Granted, some had some decay and did not look their best, but that was not noticeable till you got up close.

This particular cluster showed its finery the best, with nice structure and clean lines, against the darker pine forest in the background.

Whenever I look at this photo, it brings me back to the place and time when I made it and fills me with a warmth and longing to return, knowing it was just one of those fleeting moments that we can only return to in memory, but I’ll hold onto it, nonetheless and look forward to the next season with hopes that nature repeats her show once more.